Current Affairs : August 8, 2011

Lobsang Sangay: Tibet’s PM-in-exile

Mr. Lobsang Sangay took oath as Kalon Tripa, the

prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile,

at a ceremony held in Dharamshala in Himachal

Pradesh

Ceremony presided over by the spiritual leader Dalai

Lama

Dalai Lama also announced to hand over all political responsibilities to THE

democratically-elected leadership of Lobsang Sangay

Mr. Lobsang Sangay (44) is a senior fellow of Harvard Law School. He took over

the reigns of the government from 73-year-old monk-scholar Samdhong

Rinpoche, who held the post for the past 10 years in two 5-year terms

Singapore celebrates ASEAN’s 44th anniversary

Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) marked its 44th

anniversary on August 8, 2011 with a flag-raising ceremony at the

Indonesian Embassy in Singapore

Indonesia is the current Chairman of ASEAN

For the first time ASEAN flag will be flown at all member states’

diplomatic and consular missions in ASEAN countries

ASEAN day is celebrated every year to promote greater awareness, and

understanding of ASEAN countries among its peoples and communities

India, Pakistan to contend for vacancy at WTO’s highest court

India and Pakistan going to battle it hard for a vacancy for

judge at the WTO’s highest court for trade disputesthe

Appellate Body

India nominated former trade envoy Mr. Ujal Singh Bhatia as its candidate

India and Pakistan have nominated their recent trade envoys

Mr. Bhatia was India’s ambassador to the WTO during 2004 and 2010

Pakistan nominated its former trade envoy Manzoor Ahmad, who has worked

closely with Islamabad’s trade ministry

N.S. Prabhakar Naidu: Aeronautical Engineer who flight-tested the first Indian Sail Plane Naidu died

Aeronautical engineer N.S. Prabhakar Naidu (83)

A doyen among the first batch of aeronautical engineers to graduate

from the Madras Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1952, passed away in

Seattle, United States

An eminent technocrat whose innovative concepts contributed to

advanced aircraft design, performance, safety and reliability

He flight-tested the well known Folland Gnat jet fighters

2011-08-08 18:08:47 GKToday

 ‘Sausage Skin’ To Cure Diabetes

Researchers have created a sleeve implant, which resembles a “giant

sausage skin” to treat diabetes

The two feet long device, built up as an incision-less option to a kind of

weight-loss surgical procedure called a duodenal switch, can reverse the

illness in a few weeks

The duodenum is the name for the first 10 to 12in of the small intestine,

which connects to the stomach

The device named as the EndoBarrier is devised to have the similar effects

as surgical treatment but is far securer

It is a plastic sleeve, which lines the duodenum, meaning food can only be

absorbed lower down the intestine

The process is carried out under anesthetic within one hour